Can anyone explain to me Kepler's laws

In summary, Kepler's laws of planetary motion are three scientific laws that describe the motion of planets around the sun. They were developed by German astronomer Johannes Kepler in the early 17th century and are considered foundational principles in the field of astronomy. Kepler's first law, also known as the law of orbits, states that all planets move in elliptical orbits with the sun at one of the two foci. Kepler's second law, also known as the law of areas, states that a line connecting a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times. Kepler's third law, also known as the law of harmonies, states that the square of the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major
  • #1
Gear300
1,213
9
Can anyone explain to me Kepler's laws and equations relative to how to use them? It would also be helpful if an understanding of how Newton proved his laws of universal gravitation using them... I want to be more clarified than what the book says.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
no no no, Newton used his law of universal gravitation to prove kepler's laws. kepler formulated his laws empirically. if you have a calculus book there should be a section at the end of the vector introduction that proves kepler's laws.
 
  • #3
I see; then I'll check to see
 
  • #4
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
Isaac Isaac (1642-1727),
For proof of Kepler's laws, see:
http://www.physics.upenn.edu/courses/gladney/mathphys/java/sect5/subsubsection5_1_1_1.html [Broken]
For further detail on Newton's proof, see:
http://arxiv.org/abs/math/0112048
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #5
alright...I'll check the sites out; thanks
 

1. What are Kepler's laws of planetary motion?

Kepler's laws of planetary motion are three scientific laws that describe the motion of planets around the sun. They were developed by German astronomer Johannes Kepler in the early 17th century and are considered foundational principles in the field of astronomy.

2. What is Kepler's first law?

Kepler's first law, also known as the law of orbits, states that all planets move in elliptical orbits with the sun at one of the two foci. This means that the path of a planet around the sun is not a perfect circle, but rather an oval shape.

3. What is Kepler's second law?

Kepler's second law, also known as the law of areas, states that a line connecting a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times. This means that a planet moves faster when it is closer to the sun and slower when it is farther away.

4. What is Kepler's third law?

Kepler's third law, also known as the law of harmonies, states that the square of the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit. This means that the farther a planet is from the sun, the longer it takes to complete one orbit.

5. How do Kepler's laws help us understand planetary motion?

Kepler's laws provide a framework for understanding the behavior of planets in the solar system. They allow us to accurately predict the positions and movements of planets, and they also provide insight into the forces that govern these movements. Kepler's laws are an important tool in studying and exploring our solar system.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
19
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
30
Views
550
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
13
Views
858
  • Classical Physics
Replies
2
Views
775
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
943
Replies
4
Views
999
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
16
Views
496
  • Differential Equations
Replies
15
Views
2K
Back
Top